Six stakes on Florida Cup Day

OLDSMAR Fla. - Six stakes with purses totaling $450,000 are on tap for Saturday when Tampa Bay Downs presents it's fourth annual Florida Cup Day.

While the six $75,000 stakes are not restricted to Florida-breds, horses bred in the Sunshine State receive preference in case any of the races overfill, which two of them did this year.

The Florida Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Assocation, the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, and Tampa Bay Downs all contribute to the stakes purses on Florida Cup Day.

One of the best races on the card is the Sophmore Turf, a 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds, which has attracted a strong field topped by Go Between. A Florida-bred Point Given colt from the barn of Bill Mott, Go Between jumped right from a maiden win to take the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park in his last start. While Go Between is likely to be favored in the Sophomore Turf, there are four other runners in the field who are coming off wins.

Go Between's top challenge could come from Winnies Tigger Too, who won his turf debut in eye-catching fashion and came back to lead the way into the stretch of the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby before weakening to third.

Eddie Castro is slated to handle Go Between at 122, while Joe Rocco will handle Winnies Tigger Too at 116.

* Silver Tree, third behind English Channel in the Canadian Turf Handicap last time out and the beaten favorite when second in the Sunshine Millions Turf, should rule a solid favorite in the nine-furlong Turf Classic. A 6-year-old Florida-bred trained by Mott, Silver Tree is a very steady performer who has earned more then $1 million while winning seven races and finishing third or better in 18 of his 25 career starts.

Icy Atlantic, second in the Tampa Bay Breeders' Cup last time out for trainer Todd Pletcher, tops the challengers among the 14 entered.

* The Sprint should be one of the more entertaining races of the day as the ageless wonder Above the Wind seeks his ninth win over the Tampa strip. A 9-year-old, Above the Wind won the Pelican Stakes for the third time earlier in the meeting. Last time out he was second, beaten a length, in a restricted stakes at Ocala.

Kaufy Machine, who won that five-furlong Ocala race, also runs back here. Nightmare Affair, who was a troubled second in the Artax Handicap at Gulstream last time out, is another who deserves a second look.

* A Sea Trippi, fourth last out in the Grade 2 Forward Gal and second at 62-1 two back in the Sunshine Millions Oaks, tops 13 3-year-old fillies entered in the seven-furlong Sophomore Fillies. Trained by Ron Spatz, the Florida-bred A Sea Trippi will be handled by Manuel Aguilar at 116 pounds.

Other contenders include Chandrelle No. Five, a promising filly from the barn of Joan Scott who has won her last two starts locally, and A.J.'S Coal Bed, who jumped from a maiden win to finish eighth in the Florida Oaks last time out.

* Electrify seems well spotted by trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. in the seven-furlong Sophomore. In his two starts this year, Electrify has finished second here in the Pasco Stakes and seventh in the Swale.

* Chancey Light, who won two stakes last summer at Calder, will attempt to get back on a winning track in the Turf Distaff at 1 1/16 miles.